Victo Ngai created this double portrait of Mizuho Fukushima, the leader of Japan's Social Democratic Party and her partner, lawyer Yuichi Kaido, for the current Foreign Policy "Top 100 Global Thinker"issue. The two were ranked 29th in the magazine for their antinuclear activism.

Ian Phillips created this cover for Marketing Magazine’s Top 2011 Marketers issue, depicting a cityscape with the logos of 10 marketers incorporated into the illustration. To Ian’s delight, the AD suggested an Andy Warhol style soup can for Campbell’s and a car for Volkswagen.

Peter Diamond’s evocative December “Month Ahead” calendar image appears on the cover of The National Post Arts & Life section. "While a certain Santa-ness was almost inevitable with this character, I have tried to steer away from the big red Coca Cola Santa," notes Peter.

Chris Gash clearly enjoys his regular gig for Golf Digest; here are a few recent assignments… Three spots for an article about a golf trip to Las Vegas: with no story finalized, Chris was happy to just run with “golf” and “Vegas”:

Marty Braun's latest poster for Maine’s Portland Stage Company promotes "The Santaland Diaries," written by David Sedaris. The show is a cynical and wickedly funny account of Sedaris’ experience as a Christmas elf at Macy's Santaland in New York; his character, Crumpet, is definitely NOT jolly.

Daniel Bejar illustrated the cover of New York Times best selling author Greg Palast's new book, "Vultures’ Picnic," a globetrotting investigation of the oil industry, the banking industry, and the governmental agencies that aren't regulating either.

Eric Hanson created this illustration for the Cornell Law School magazine, on the topic of the difficult balance between philosophy and pragmatism. “I used the monkey wrench to depict the practical and a Greek column to stand in for the philosophical ideal,” says Eric. “Notice that the Greek column is a fragment from a ruin. Even the perfect isn't perfect.”

Christopher Jennings was tapped once again by the Fort Worth Star Telegram to illustrate their super-popular “Top Turkey Awards”. Published on Thanksgiving Day, the feature highlights the biggest numbskulls of the year.

Jesse Lenz illustrates the ultimate cocktail party for Philadelphia Magazine: the most interesting collection of local movers, shakers, style-makers and power players, all in one room with the booze flowing.

Daniel Baxter’s drawing for About Town accompanied an article about the polarizing nature of deer: animals adored for their Bambi-like appearance, and despised for the diseases they spread (as well as gardens they destroy).

Michael Sloan’s comic, "My Extraordinary Dream," has won a Silver Medal in the sequential category of the Society of Illustrators 54. The 20 panel comic records an actual dream that Michael had one night this past March.

Javier Medellin Puyou created this cover illustration for the New Year’s edition of Mexican culture magazine, Por Amor al Arte magazine. The Chinese zodiac water dragon represents the year 2012; some of the coming year’s most anticipated events, desires and rumors are shown as well.

Gary Kelley’s most recent book project, “And the Soldiers Sang,” is a heartwarming and haunting collaboration with J. Patrick Lewis that teaches a very valuable lesson: soldiers on both sides of the fence have very much in common.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Shaw Nielsen created this illustration for Harvard Public Health Review magazine for an article about the exponential growth of the human population. If you think the world is crowded now, just wait a few years. Between today and 2050, our 2011 global population of roughly 7 billion could expand by an estimated 2.3 billion people…

Nathaniel Gold has been a regular contributor to Scientific American for the past four months, creating a weekly image for “The Primate Diaries.” Working directly with writer Eric Michael Johnson, Nathaniel is given total creative freedom. “The weekly article has to do with primates, which is my passion,” says Nathaniel.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Daniel Baxter’s portrait of James Fergason, who invented the improved Liquid Crystal Display, or LCD, was commissioned by the IT company, Softmart for a calendar celebrating great innovators of computer technology.

Eric Hanson’s double portrait of Bono for The New Republic is one of about a dozen illustrations he did for their “Lists Issue,” on newsstands now. “Bono is on their list of ‘pseuds’", explains Eric, “Not having spoken with Bono recently, I can't say whether he's any phonier than other rock musicians who have political opinions. He does have nice eyewear though.”

Edel Rodriguez illustrates a complex opinion piece for today’s New York Times on China’s growing influence over the global economy and its increasing ability to project military power in competition with the United States.